Cheap vs. Expensive Wine - Bargain Alert!

Cheap vs. Expensive Wine - Which one is better?!
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I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
I have used this glass in this Video: Nude Glass Powerful Reds
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2022 Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, San Antonio Valley, Chile
www.wine-searc...
2023 Alexander Laible Sauvignon Blanc trocken ***, Baden, Germany
www.wine-searc...
2020 Louis-Benjamin - Didier Dagueneau Silex, Loire, Vin de France
www.wine-searc...
2021 Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
www.wine-searc...
2021 Bodega Colome Lote Especial Sauvignon Blanc, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina
www.wine-searc...
2020 Vino Gross Colles Sauvignon Blanc, Stajerska Slovenia
www.wine-searc...
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
It is time again for an epic battle - 6 wines enter the blind tasting and only one makes it out alive. Well… actually, they all don’t make it out alive in the end. The point of this tasting is to NOT judge a wine by its label but by its quality in the glass to see whether a bargain wine can outcompete a super-premium one.
All of the wines in front of me were selected by my team. They were made from the same grape variety or varieties and they are from different parts of the world.
I don’t know what is inside those black bags, but I know that one bottle is much more expensive than the other ones. I am going to see whether I can identify the expensive bottle or maybe, just maybe the cheaper wine wins the battle. So let's taste!

[@der_weinigel]

The People have demanded more of these and Konstantin the Great has granted their desires🎉 Long live the King !

[@KonstantinBaumMasterofWine]

Long live the hedgehog!

[@elfblood9127]

I can't get enough of your blind tastings! I love watching them and rewatching them. I enjoy trying to guess your ranking before you state the ranking based upon your verbal dissection of the wine. I have become pretty good at it although there are times when I'm off by a few points. Its always so great to see an affordable wine beating out or at least competing well against a high-priced wine. Thanks for doing what you do so well and for sharing those efforts online. I always look forward to your videos with great anticipation.

[@hacksawbob3310]

Wow, 5 wines in the 90s - good selections! Especially from you, as you tend to be pretty strict in your scoring. I like the wide variation in flavors and expressions from the same grape, especially one so popular and familiar. Your team did exceptionally well in putting this tasting together. Chile so frequently comes through with the bargains...

[@EstorilE36M345]

I really loved your explanation about why the flavors show up the way they do. I am not a wine expert and enjoy learning from you

[@thobax]

Casa Marin is one of the best wineries of Coastal Chile. Their wines are stunning! Aside from the great SB, they also have really good Pinot and Syrah! And is a nice place to visit too!

[@bradbellomo6896]

Great to see a Slovenian wine. My grandfather from Slovenia thought orange wine was disgusting. I like it, but Slovenia has so many different styles of wines. Slovenians are the best gardeners in Europe, and have a long history of wine making. Most of the best is enjoyed locally, Slovenians are so much better at making wine than exporting and marketing it.

[@javierel22]

Being Argentinian I'm happy to see that Altura Maxima SB from Salta there, haven't tried it yet, it's a bit expensive at almost 40 USD nowadays. But also happy to see a Casa Marin wine, I love their SB and also their Riesling! Chile has some extraordinary sauvignon blanc wines with an incredible price too!

[@cven1103]

Love your tastings Konstantin, look forward to seeing your review scores online along with the more established guys.

[@migue1724]

Thank you so much for all your videos! They are incredibly useful and informative. I have a suggestion for a future video: it would be fantastic to see a blind tasting comparison of the second wines from the great Bordeaux estates, like Echo de Lynch Bages and others. I think many of us would find that really interesting and insightful. Keep up the great work!

[@darkerbinding6933]

It's always fun when you get surprised and it's nice to see you have a very good attitude about making mistakes! 💜 I can tell you that we don't mind them...

[@klitomazify]

What a hilarious guess on Wine #6, Konstantin! The Vino Gross Colles isn't a skin contact wine at all! I hope this Styrian Sauvignon Blanc piqued your curiosity about Slovenia and its excellent wines. You are always welcome to explore, learn, and taste some more!

[@robertk1robertk1]

Suggestion: adding captions on the screen to remind us what you thought each wine was. Thank you, Konstantin ☺️

[@williamrobinson7435]

Really interesting and enjoyable as ever! I've found the best value to be had in Sauvignon Blanc from Chile or Argentina in the main, not the best but the most reliable on price. I have always found the adjective 'chewy' applies to the mouth feel of a good wine of this style. I'm curious about the Slovenian orange Sauvignon though! Nice one Konstantin. 🌟👍

[@lynnpowell1601]

My favorite sauvignon is probably one I haven't tasted yet. NZ is making some good SB. I did buy a Chilean SB recently and was pleasantly surprised. You've inspired me to try an Argentine.

[@oxvaldus]

Cipreses from Casa Marín its a Chilean classic, lovely wine and excellent price too

[@EdgarWilkening]

Großartig gemacht! Tolles Tasting. Danke, dass wir dabei sein können.

[@braindy5]

I absolutely love these! Idea for your patreons: Provide the list of wines including blinded numbering before so they can join you (with the help of someone else) and experience and rate the wines with you. Tough though to get many of your wines here in the US that you are testing.

[@robdielemans9189]

The one that immediately comes to mind was a late harvest Chilean dessert wine. And luckily there's an importer in the lowlands for the 2022 Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, San Antonio Valley, Chile.

[@B2024-y4c]

Best SB I have tried was Lismore barrel fermented SB from South Africa - power on the mid palate was amazing - the vintage I tried was the 2017. Keep up the great work, really enjoy your videos!

[@Eueugeneu24]

I really appreciate that you let the video with your real thoughts. This shows us how difficult is to guess a wine even with a lot of knowledge. It was the same for contestants at the Best Sommelier of the World. To be a sommelier is not just about guessing the wine right, is more complex than that. Thank you!

[@ilianstoimenov6619]

Great video! I will try the Casa Marin, the Bodega Colome and the Slovenian one for sure. I really enjoy Marlborough sovignons and the best local Bulgarian sovignon is from Yamantievs winery. Try some Bulgarian wines by the way - unfairly underrated.

[@gemilyt]

Bravo! The kind of blind tasting that makes it clear things are constantly changing! Casa Marin was a Rex Pickett favorite while researching his Sideways Chile novel, and am glad you got one before me! SB from Italy with Chard can be very entertaining as well! Mahalo! It's almost as diverse as Cabernet.

[@adjusted-bunny]

Favorite SB?! A lot too choose from. First of all one the top white varietal ever. I love a SB from Bordeaux matured in oak or stainless steel. Terrific ones from New Zealand and the Loire, as well.

[@GarthScholtz]

My two favourites are Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc, which I'm disappointed didn't make it into the tasting, and Cotat Mont Damnes Sancerre when I want to treat myself really well.

[@AnarchoKapital]

Best SB I had so far was a 2017 Grassnitzburg from Sattlerhof, Steyria. It was just so incredibly elegant. I have a bottle of Blaue Libelle 2018 from Andreas Tscheppe; really looking forward to that one. For easy drinking I like the Rabbit Island from New Zealand, which you can often get for under 10€.

[@daniellabuda7744]

Konstantin, I really appreciate your vids. You gave me a chance to spread my knowledge about wines. Wines are my favorite type of alcohol, I am really grateful. Thanks, Bro!

[@marilynbeardslee2163]

Favorite is Cloudy Bay but I have a bottle of Craggy Range (New Zealand) awaiting an opening, about which I'm quite curious.

[@kentpiano2600]

Love this, what a broad selection esp the orange wine, well done! I have a fave s blanc/s gris orange from Bordeaux .. you were so close with all of these, Silex-Sancerre, Chile-Argentine, I thought your most successful blind to date and really drew me in, I applauded your Slovenia, neatly done!! Bravo 👏🏼

[@bluejesper]

You convinced me to buy the Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc, and yes, it is seriously delicious, you describe it perfectly and indeed a bargain for £21 in the UK. Please keep posting your excellent blind tastings Konstantin, I'm a big fan of yours!. I'd love to see you to do a CABERNET FRANC tasting; Jacky Blot Domaine de la Butte, Gran Enemigo Gualtallary, Paleo.... 🙏🍷

[@elbertexplores]

Konstantin, it would be nice if you revealed the bottle on screen with information about the location etc. while you're guessing so we can see you honing in on the answer. Maybe just after you've given a description of the notes for those interested in guessing along? That way, you don't have to tell use what you guessed after the fact. Just an idea. Thanks for the great video!

[@RJHHamersma]

As always, really enjoyable to watch your videos !! When you described the Silex, I actually immediately thought of that. Drank it once, and remember it was quite special, and for me it was hard to spot it to be Sauvignon Blanc (tasted blind). But again, really enjoyed your video !!

[@daveincambridge]

I think it would be interesting if you did a video on how wine is made and the different production methods in place for making cheap to expensive wine. OR... the history of wine (by country?) I love you videos!!

[@danf321]

Now the real test…mix in a couple Trader Joe’s Sauvignon Blancs to see how $10 wines compare. Keep up the great reviews 👍

[@dangareau3143]

Never been big on whites but you could probably do a good tasting video with rose. Another great video. Cheers!!!

[@matthewbykowski2353]

Fun video. I really like the premise (blinds) of it. Thanks for another good one.

[@MattFank]

Great tasting! I think there is a lot more diversity to the styles in which this varietal is made than people give it credit for. Personally, I enjoy the minerality of a Sancerre, which I'm surprised wasn't in your line up. While we consume a lot of Sav Blanc in Australia, it's not a varietal that we are generally regarded for as highly as other countries. None-the-less, I believe that Australia is about to enter a Sav Blanc evolution, much in the same way that Chardonnay did a couple of decades ago and expect to see more premium wines showing greater complexity and structure with aging potential.

[@MichaelJazayeriMD]

Excellent as always! I tasted Samuel Adam's Utopias beer which uses the Solera technique. The beer has no carbonation and reminded me of Port. I wonder if you can do a blind Port tasting and have this beer in the lines as a dark horse?

[@alistaircorbishley5881]

Fantastic video Konstantin. Your producer has selected a good variety of SB which showcase what a good winemaker can do with this grape. OK, it may not have the range of styles that chardonnay can produce but it can be just as interesting. My favourite is the Greywacke from Kevin Judd, much more refined than Te Koko!

[@michaelfallesen820]

Another truly great video - after all: Who doesn't like Sauvigning Blanc? Seeing how Portuguese wine is really grabbing market shares (at least in Denmark) because it seems to offer a lot of value for money, could you maybe do a video on Portuguese wine? It would be really great to hear your professional verdict 🙂

[@LaurenBerns]

Really enjoy your content. Great work, man.

[@Lars-gj7bz]

Hey konstatin, great job. The wineworld is focusing on Bordeaux right now. would love to see a blind tasting between the 1. And 2. Wines. Like chateau Palmer vs. alter ego de Palmer, l’hospitalet de gazin… and so on. Can u taste the difference?

[@getsconesTRUTH]

Late to the party but you can't go wrong with a good sauv blanc. You can get such good quality for pretty reasonable price. Two good ones I've had recently were Frogs Leap from Rutherford and chateau Doisy Daene from Bordeaux.

[@frederickheard2022]

I had too much mediocre sauv blanc fifteen or twenty years ago (mostly from Australia and New Zealand), and I’ve been overlooking it/avoiding it as either bland or cat-pissy for a very long time. I have had some fumé blanc styles that I enjoyed, and you made me interested in trying some more Sauv Blanc from around the world. Thanks for the spark of curiosity.

[@michaellogan1428]

Great presentation. Thanks Konstantin. A finely balanced blend of good humour, knowledge, German precision wrapped up in erudition. Excellent. §¥ points. ☺️

[@KonstantinBaumMasterofWine]

Many thanks!

[@enthusiastic_amateur]

Arkenstone Vineyards on Howell Mountain in Napa makes a couple exceptional Sauvignon Blanc bottlings. Definitely lots of concentration, structure & acid that is not typical in California Sauvignon Blanc. Probably due to the elevation of the vineyards on Howell Mountain.

[@MJR67]

Excellent line up. I recall years ago, 20 plus years and cloudy bay was just in its infancy, drank it on a sailing boat in HK. Great wine , cheap by today’s standards but extensive at the time. A few years later read in Decanter that CB bought grapes from a vineyard called Isabel. Tried Isabel and yep, 95% of CB for half the price. Bought it by the case load. Today different continent and got an email from KL wines re Greywake. Bought a few bottles, good stuff, not aware that it is the same wine maker as per CB but now $20 here in California. Nice but at that price, it has completion. Prost and be well.

[@tomjones2202]

Thanks again Master Baum! HOW in the world can you ever get them ALL right!? lol Good job and keep on bringing us good wines! :) and videos .

[@solomonmengeu1003]

The effect of blind tasting is that quality always trumps price, nice to see a Chilean SB scoring higher than other higher priced ones. I generally prefer Alto Adige, satellite appellations around Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre, South Africa and Bordeaux. People over generalize about Sauvignon Blanc, when it can vary greatly depending on region, vintage and producer. New Zealand has gotten more creative and edgy over the last 10-15 years; I have pretty much enjoyed all SBs I have tried. Surprised to see so many 90+ wines in one tasting. Cheers!

[@The1stHannibal-ex5fo]

How about a video about affordable bordeaux's? That would be terrific!

[@georgeliapis47]

Don’t worry about the Greywacke, it is probably the most non-NZ SB I have ever tasted! As for the Silex… I expected it to be in the tasting (or a Dagueneau in any case), and I was kinda waiting for it..! Have never tasted such an expensive SB, but I have a feeling (since I love NZ’s and the gunflint Sancerre style), that I will not enjoy it as much…

[@clydeblair9622]

Didn't realise Pouilly Fumes were playing around with oak instead of just the lees :-) Facinating. The Greywacke made WS top 100.

[@stanleovart]

My favorites are definitely New Zealand SBs, but also what I like - Luis Felipe Edwards Winemaker Selection Reserva SB from Chile - really great one, German Krämer Straight SB - also great example I like, and then French Tresors de Loire Touraine SB - which I found very delicious, especially with sea food!

[@schmup53]

I love the Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre, many of which are affordable and good quality. I buy them online usually.

[@alexm7310]

Great fun, really enjoyable. Thank you! 😊❤

[@multidayticket]

Favorite Sauvignon Blancs: Chateau Brown Blanc (a blend with Semillon) from Bordeaux, Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma.

[@amonducius]

I wish I could have someone like you taste some of my homemade wines and give it a rating, but you live on another continent and honestly the idea is a little intimidating. Have you ever done a tasting of homemade wines (other than your own) to see how some of them compare to similar wines at different price points? It would be interesting, but maybe not the easiest video to make. I hear people claim they can make top shelf wines at home, but haven't seen a pro pick them apart and compare them with wine made by world-class professionals.

[@pm3390]

I actually guessed dageneau corrdctly based on your commentary;) Outstanding SB which rivals top chardonnay's from bourgogne in my opinion. But not really a value proposition anymore as it got famous, especially the older ones. In general though, pouilly fume and sancerre offer some of tje best value for money whites out there, together with the vovuray from Huet, probably the best price wine with a 95+ rating

[@kachiu320]

love those SB from Styria, I think they are in bargain!

[@adjusted-bunny]

Colomé is almost always a bargain. The founder (Donald?) stems from a brewery dynasty from Berne, Switzerland who is living (or resting?) in the US. Also an art collector.

[@kennethbowers5840]

Best wine is the Silex. I’ve had it one time, and it’s amazing, best Sauvignon blanc I’ve ever had.

[@markusrohling4913]

For the Question of the day: i really enjoy the Austrian SB, Stift Göttweig has nice Ried Quality, also Krispel

[@yeovildancer]

Francois cotat for me!

[@adjusted-bunny]

Dagenau (probably wrong spelling I know) RIP was a pioneer in the Loire. But as a normal person you cannot afford his wines.

[@Blue28485]

I am so disappointed that you confused Sancerre and Pouilly Fume! Like you couldn’t distinguish a Barolo from Barbarresco! 😜 I haven’t tasted an interesting SB in a while but now I want to try some of these! Thanks again!!

[@KonstantinBaumMasterofWine]

Sorry!

[@torgilekman1598]

Cloudy Bay, mu favorite...

[@atamo4323]

From my notes (since 2007), Leyda single vineyard SB, Dom Sylvain Bailly Quincy Beaucharme, Santa Rita Floresta SB, Les Plantiers du Haut Brion Blanc (a blend)

[@glennjohnson4919]

Watching, I had to go get a glass of wine. Inspirational again! Many thanx

[@LadyAceRoxy]

This is not at all glamorous, but Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite grape and Giesen is my favorite overall SB. Le G de Guiraud and Chateau Latour-Martillac Pessac-Leognan Blanc Grand Cru are pretty epic though! I love almost all SBs, so this tasting was great!

[@johnoshiro8885]

I love the tropical fruits and zippy acidity of New Zealand SBs. Dog Point (across the road from Cloudy Bay, owned by LVMH) is great with spicy and salty Asian dishes and fish.

[@stuartdiamond8775]

My favorite from your tasting was your number 4 from New Zealand

[@toxicsn0wshuffle]

Claude Riffaullt makes a stunning Sancerre. Michel Redde has amazing Pouilly-Fume. Didier Dagueneau Sillex is on another level, still. Even though I couldn’t drink more than 1 glass. It’s a bit too much for me. Like drinking pure mineral rocks.

[@user-js9xe6mm8x]

I really interested in Casa Marin because i never enjoyed chilean sb, so I really want to meet that wine thx for the nice video!

[@lauracanna2201]

I don't have a favourite but a few months ago, I tried one SB from Chile (Leyda Valley) which was spectacular! I never drank anything like that before. It also had some petrol/kerosene aromas and flavours which were so unexpected for me 😊

[@robertgolden2061]

Jean-Jacques Auchere Sancerre, my favorite go to Sauvignon Blanc. Also a good value too.

[@gavinconvery]

Silex is the best SB I have tasted...the bottles I had had some age which i think is essential for that wine. Love the Greywacke wild ferment SB - Dogpoint do a great similar version - Section 94, although their standard SB is also great and different. A favourite orange wine SB is from Alexandre Bain who is in the Pouilly region - worth checking out! Gonna check out the others if they're available in the UK!

[@GeorgeDaymondLush]

I tasted Silex about 30 years ago. It took me weeks to find out what it meant. Not being a white wine fan I won't be buying too much. I think Didier Dagenau died quite recently (No 2008)

[@persimarco]

I'm somehow used to Austrian Sauvignon blanc. Ewald Zweytick Don't cry or Heaven's door or of course the more affordable Zieregg from Tement.

[@Cloverdad]

I do tastings with consumers from time to time and when looking how the same grape behaves in different climates, SB is my go-to variety.

[@lliamgregory3182]

Hehe no spittoon today ;) Lots of the natty winemakers in Aus are fermenting Savvy B in oak.

[@credenza1]

Getting the Slovenian wine right more than makes up for the other decisions. Well done.

[@AchillesMajor]

Fave SB is Smith Haut Lafitte from BDX! (ok ok, blended w Semillon)

[@briand2614]

As you were describing number 3 I was thinking the DD Silex, since it is a very expensive SB.

[@MisterDarling]

I wonder if, in an imaginary world in which we mostly made rose, we would say "skin contact reds" mostly taste like the process. I wonder why we can't pick a classic skin contact pinot gris vs a sauvignon blanc is just that we haven't made enough to know what a classic orange expression of that white grape is?

[@Ildskalli]

Yay, Chile wins this tasting! Also for a very deserving example. I personally adore the Gran Reserva made by Calyptra, it's a fumé blanc that's just exquisitely balanced.

[@Pladderkasse]

So funny, I just had a bottle of the Casa Marin a few days ago and it's pretty damn good for the price.

[@markevans506]

Ava or Eva Grace. A sweeter Sauvignon Blanc than what I have normally experienced. I think it was US origin. Haven’t seen it in a while.

[@acidDrop2000]

i really like the greywacke wild, under $30 and really tasty

[@andrewwebster15]

I love a Marlborough for the right occasion, but give it to me with some noble rot in a Sauternes for the best use of the grape.

[@duncanwmaxwell]

We had the 2015 Dog Point “Section 94” at our wine club a couple of weeks ago, it was singing!

[@isaaclilian5127]

How about getting Leon to pour from behind the camera? Would eliminate bottle feel/weight as well as having sight of whether the bottle is screwcap/cork closure.

[@damongray8530]

While I love Silex, I could also go for Pascal Cotat Monts Damnés. Giton Mt Damnés is great too, though I don't see it much anymore. Le G de Guiraud is delicious and super inexpensive Bdx

[@kingjulian1549]

Sadly Konstantin, the Tsunami of NZ Sav Blanc that was unleashed on the world over the past 20 years, (particularly Australia where i live) has meant for both me and my friends that we now totally avoid this style of wine. That grassy cat pee bouquet is a huge turnoff. Nonetheless, you have provided an interesting showcase of the different styles in your video and maybe when the dust settles we can look to say the Americas to provide an alternative.

[@danielhazke8729]

9 Monde from Thomas Pichler is one of my favourites :)

[@liamblake937]

I love the wines of Vincent Ricard in Touraine!

[@andi2381]

I am from Rheinhessen and I love me some Weedenborn SB.

[@adjusted-bunny]

*rinse out. It is correct to say "to rinse".

[@markcat1]

$10-$18 New Zealand Sauvignon blancs give me the best bang for the buck.

[@markwalton3706]

Oh ... fav Sav Blanc for me Seresin from NZ.

[@gmendiburu]

Saved by the last wine!

[@samkuong3121]

Safe to guess a bottle of Ssilex inside the tasting samples.

[@robertthrossell4321]

Brilliant tasting 😊